By Wonder Guchu - Hifa through its media officer Tafadzwa Simba issued a statement in The Sunday Mail disputing our report on Hifa clamping down on cheating Journos where we quoted Terence Mapurisana and Albert Nyathi spitting fire but SORRY GUYS we owe nobody an apology.

We owe no apology to any one - Hifa, Albert Nyathi or Terence Mapurisana - for carrying their comments on Hifa's decision to bar journalists from major events.

Tafadzwa does not quote both Mapurisana and Nyathi denying bad-mouthing Hifa but they rather hide behind the flimsy excuse that they did not know their comments would be subject to a story.

Mapurisana who later emailed me does not deny hitting hard at Hifa organisers but said he used the word STUPID and not SHIT. But we asked then - what's the difference? He also whined about being ambushed and making the comments unaware he would be quoted.

That's no valid excuse because the fact is he sAID it whether the word was STUPID or SHIT.

It's also not true that I apologised to Mapurisana. We carried a follow-up to the first article and if he took it as an apology, I am sorry and let me set the record straight now - artsinitiates has no apologies to make unless Mapurisana or Nyathi prove that they DID NOT SAY what we said they said.

If our article has flaws, as Tafadzwa pointed out, why did he not address his concerns to me because he has written to me before?

Let me reiterate this again - WE OWE NO ONE ANY APOLOGIES. The problems with people is crying when they are smiling and smiling when they are crying. The best way to get information is to ambush them sometimes. Everybody wants to be part of Hifa and they would not want to be seen as unhappy because they would be sidelined.

They would rather lie and smile even if they are not happy with Hifa. It's that attitude which has killed the arts because people are afraid of telling the truth.

If, as Mapurisana said, Hifa decision was shit then let it be that - SHIT. In fact, let Tafadzwa know that for a long time, Hifa has been working with a certain section of the media and the public media had to run after them for information. I have reported on Hifa all the four years I was at the Herald. I know how Hifa
treats journalists from the Herald and those from the independent media. So, tafadzwa should not try to fool people by defending the defenceless.

To Mapurisana and Nyathi, be man enough like Raisedon Baya to voice out your concerns because that will help change things. This attitude of sucking to people so that you stay in good books does not work.

Lastly, Tafadzwa should know the difference between a blog and a website. artsinitiates is a full-fledged and widely-read website.

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